Washington 92, Syracuse 88: My New Boots

[starvinmarvin]

Well, I just got a couple of U2 bootlegs. The first was the Aug 16 1992 show in Washington, which I've been dying to see for a while. Frankly, I wasn't that impressed with the show. I can't help but compare it with Sydney, which was IMO a lot better. The washington show was supposedly pro-filmed, but the camera work is really bad at times. The band sounded a bit "off," and really botched up a few tunes, especially New Years Day. Bono looked really pissed at times, and the overall vibe was a bit of a downer. I didn't really care for the Mirrorball Man routine, and the reworked version of Desire with the new guitar effects sounded amateur. I liked parts of it - the TTTYAATW routine was charming - but I don't think that I'll be watching it very often.

In contrast, the Syracuse show from the JT tour was great. It's probably one of the best U2 shows I've ever seen. It seems so natural, and so uncontrived in comparison with Washington. It was great to see the band play songs like Unfogettable Fire and In God's Country. I love the covers of Help and People Get Ready. Bono's voice was so powerful back then. It's hilarious to watch him clown around the stage even though he had the cast on his arm. Larry and Adam definitely have improved since then, but their enthusiasm at Syracuse more than attones for this. I also loved the 40 ending, which reminds me so much of the first leg of Vertigo. I'm glad they're ending the shows with 40 again (sometimes).

Do any of you guys have any thoughts or insights into any of these shows? Any behind the scenes little known facts?

 

[MacPhistoPT]

I never seen the Washington one. But the Syracuse is pretty cool, great setlist, some great perfomances and it's "fun" to see Bono performing with a broken arm

 

[starvinmarvin]

I never seen the Washington one. But the Syracuse is pretty cool, great setlist, some great perfomances and it's "fun" to see Bono performing with a broken arm

The only problem I have with the Syracuse show is that it's too short

 

[LMP]

I love when Bono calls the White House and it goes right into UltraViolet *one of the best versions from the tour after Stockholm*

"I must not be as important as I thought I was..."

 

[starvinmarvin]

I love when Bono calls the White House and it goes right into UltraViolet *one of the best versions from the tour after Stockholm*

"I must not be as important as I thought I was..."

Yeah, that part was great. However, Mirrorball Man just isn't quite as captivating as MacPhisto. I know a lot of people hated MacPhisto because he's a strange character, but I think everyone can agree that he caught the audience's attention.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

Who hated MacPhisto?????? Okay, he was a strange character but it was special and captivating as starvinmarvin said. And many of his phonecalls were a lot funny. I love the phonecall to the travel agency in Rotterdam

I know I'm going off-topic but I'd like to know who hates MacPhisto and why...

 

[LJT]

I know people who are scared of Macphisto...tis quite amusing

 

[Joshua87]

I love when Bono calls the White House and it goes right into UltraViolet *one of the best versions from the tour after Stockholm*

"I must not be as important as I thought I was..."

Haha, the thing that I actually think is the funniest, is that he says "musn't," and it gets me everytime, I don't know why

 

[MattFromNYC]

Well, I just got a couple of U2 bootlegs. The first was the Aug 16 1992 show in Washington, which I've been dying to see for a while. Frankly, I wasn't that impressed with the show. I can't help but compare it with Sydney, which was IMO a lot better. The washington show was supposedly pro-filmed, but the camera work is really bad at times. The band sounded a bit "off," and really botched up a few tunes, especially New Years Day. Bono looked really pissed at times, and the overall vibe was a bit of a downer. I didn't really care for the Mirrorball Man routine, and the reworked version of Desire with the new guitar effects sounded amateur. I liked parts of it - the TTTYAATW routine was charming - but I don't think that I'll be watching it very often.

In contrast, the Syracuse show from the JT tour was great. It's probably one of the best U2 shows I've ever seen. It seems so natural, and so uncontrived in comparison with Washington. It was great to see the band play songs like Unfogettable Fire and In God's Country. I love the covers of Help and People Get Ready. Bono's voice was so powerful back then. It's hilarious to watch him clown around the stage even though he had the cast on his arm. Larry and Adam definitely have improved since then, but their enthusiasm at Syracuse more than attones for this. I also loved the 40 ending, which reminds me so much of the first leg of Vertigo. I'm glad they're ending the shows with 40 again (sometimes).

Do any of you guys have any thoughts or insights into any of these shows? Any behind the scenes little known facts?

see! i knew he looked pissed off in the August 16th Washington show. everyone else here tried to debunk me on it, too.

so, i guess i'm not the only one who thought he was pissed....

 

[MacPhistoPT]

I know people who are scared of Macphisto...tis quite amusing

 

[Meghan]

I bet if I were younger (under 10) I would find MacPhisto quite disturbing. But he really seems like a nice guy really, I've grown to love his oddities. And I certainly prefer him to Mirrorball Man, who I find more annoying than funny most of the time, except for the "I must not be as important as I thought I was..." line.

 

[kennerado]

I just got the Washington Outside Broadcast dvd today aswell. I hope you got the "Playing Washington 1992" version. Even though the camera work is not that good remember this: Its the only complete Outside Broadcast proshot in circulation.

I actually prefer the JT LA proshot to Syracuse. Syracuse it pretty good though.

 

[thesuburbskill]

Well, I just got a couple of U2 bootlegs. The first was the Aug 16 1992 show in Washington, which I've been dying to see for a while. Frankly, I wasn't that impressed with the show. I can't help but compare it with Sydney, which was IMO a lot better. The washington show was supposedly pro-filmed, but the camera work is really bad at times. The band sounded a bit "off," and really botched up a few tunes, especially New Years Day. Bono looked really pissed at times, and the overall vibe was a bit of a downer.

great i think thats the one i should be receiving in the mail shortly ... hopefully i like it more than you did... hmm although a pissed off bono could translate into a really powerful/moving performance (think sbs on r&h)... i guess ill have to wait and see

agree w/ kennerado on JT LA ... just wish the sound was better